The Stripper
by beaglelover719
Summary: Emily gets chosen for an assignment she does not want to accept. Will a little help from her friends help her change her mind? Emily/Derek with snippets of the whole team.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Not Mine**

**A/N – This is something new for me. I'm actually trying to write someone other than Hotch and JJ (GASP). I **_**try**_** to do different things but it never quite works out the way I think it's going to. (Warning - Don't be surprised when my main ship shows up.) This is for my Beta who wanted me to write a Demily pairing. Happy Belated Birthday.**

Emily Prentiss sat for a minute in stunned silence at the request being made of her before looking up, convinced that this somehow had to be a joke. The rest of her team sat looking back at her. She scanned their faces. Alex looked sympathetic. Rossi looked positively giddy. Reid, well honestly, who knew what went on in his mind? Penelope was having a hard time containing herself. She most likely wanted to volunteer for duty. Derek looked slightly amused but Hotch? Hotch had his sincere face on and it hit her, "You're serious."

"I honestly don't have any other ideas." He admitted frankly. "We've got a very small window here, we know that he's going to hit again, we know he likes tall, dark haired women…"

"Cut the crap. He likes strippers, Hotch!" Emily growled.

Hotch silenced Rossi's chortle with a look before calmly stating. "You've gone undercover before."

Emily looked down at the file in front of her. "These women are at least ten years younger than me. The oldest was barely over thirty."

"I don't really think our guy is paying all that much attention to their faces." Rossi told her. "Besides, it's dark in those places he won't know that you're older than his usual fare."

Hotch shot the older man a silencing glance. "Emily, I won't be sending you in alone. Morgan will be there at all times as a bouncer."

She just bet he hated that assignment. "You're not even sure he'll hit this club."

Reid took that moment to speak up enlightening her on what went on in his mind. "Actually there is a very high probability that he will. He's running out of places to hunt. So far he hasn't hit the same club twice. We know he has a very specific body type. Plus we've been working with the other clubs to tighten their security and advise both the owners and the girls to stay away from featuring any brunettes with the specific hope that we could lure him to the 'Kitty Kat'."

Hotch watched as she processed the information. "Emily, I'm not asking this lightly and if you feel that you can't do it we'll go back to the police force and see if they can't look harder to find someone in their house to go undercover."

"I don't dance." She finally blurted out. "Let alone strip." She mumbled as two strips of scarlet blossomed on her cheeks.

Penelope's enthusiasm could no longer be sustained. "Don't worry, I know just the thing, they have a class, me and Jayje took one before the wedding…"

At the mention of JJ's name Hotch barked, "Garcia!"

"Sorry, Boss Man." This time both Rossi and Morgan chuckled when their fearless leader turned a bright hue. Penelope continued slightly less exuberant, "It's really great exercise."

Not able to let it go Rossi commented, "It obviously yielded great results."

Penelope deliberately missed his meaning. "It totally did, I bet JJ would even be willing to go back there with us. If she were still with the team she could totally do this. I was really impressed with how well she could work the pole."

That comment had even Alex and Emily chuckling. Hotch just dropped his head into his hands as Morgan and Rossi howled with laughter even further as Penelope finally realized the double entendre and began to apologize profusely to Hotch.

"Oh, sir, I didn't mean… That is, I never meant to imply… All I meant to say was JJ picked it up fast and she was really good, but I'm sure you know that." She shook her head. "That really didn't come out right."

"Please shut up, Penelope." Hotch requested, growing increasingly more mortified by the minute.

"Yes sir."

Emily smiled at her boss. She liked him most when his human side showed through. "It's too bad JJ couldn't liaise with the team on this one."

Reid looked at Emily in confusion. "Our unsub doesn't appear to have a predilection for pregnant women."

"Yeah, that's not… Never mind, Reid." Shaking her head she turned back to Hotch. "I should have been more specific. I cannot dance. Have you ever seen Elaine from Seinfield? I make her look graceful."

"Please that is not true!" Garcia disagreed, having been to clubs with her before.

Morgan chose that moment to join the conversation. "You're missing the point. It's not really about dancing. It's about seduction. You could learn a few moves, easily. It's not any different than learning basic self-defense steps. Or one of those exercise routines you women are fond of." He favored her with a linger glance. "Your body moves well."

"That's coming from a connoisseur of women." Rossi informed her cheerfully. "You'll be fine. Although," He said, sparing a scoffing glance at Morgan, "I have to disagree with my pal here on one thing. It's all about T&A, not seduction." He leered at Emily. "In either case you'll still do fine."

"Oink, Oink." Uttered Garcia, both Blake and Emily nodded in agreement at her assessment of Rossi.

Hotch started to say something when his phone vibrated. He winced as he looked at the message and rapidly stood. "I'm sorry, I have to run and do this…thing. I'll be back in…" He froze. "Later, I'll be back later. Continue to work the case. Morgan, you've got the lead. Emily, you need to have an answer for me when I return. I'll support whatever you decide." He was barely out of the room when they heard him begin to speak into his phone. "I'm on my way. I'll be there as soon as I can."

As soon as he was out of the room they all turned to Emily.

"What do you think, Prentiss?" Derek asked.

She frowned. "I think this is crazy. I can't do this." She growled in frustration. "I know that I've done undercover work before but this is…" She drew a deep breath. "I can't do this."

Derek made eye contact with the team as Prentiss studied her hands and with a nod of his head sideways he indicated they exit the room so he could continue to speak to Emily alone. "Why would you think you couldn't do this?" He asked softly. "I've seen some of the stuff you've been able to do. This should be a walk in the park for you."

Emily lifted her head and was surprised to find they were the only ones left in the room. "Play a tough arms dealer, flirting with a low life? That I can do. This? This is something altogether different."

Morgan shook his head. "It's just another role, Princess."

Emily shook her head in disagreement. "I'm not a seductress. Pen could totally get into character and do this but I can't get up on a stage and dance and strip for a bunch of drunken men that want to throw money at me, or worse, touch me." Her face gave a clear indication of how distasteful she found that idea.

He studied her for a moment then gave a nod. "Okay, if that's the way you feel then I'll support you. I'll let Hotch work with the locals and I'll see if I can't find someone in our house to work the assignment." He searched his mental banks for women that might fit the profile. "Hey, I think Allison could probably play the part." He didn't know why she didn't come to mind earlier.

Morgan was referring to the leggy brunette that was part of the C Team. The leggy brunette that made it a habit to take any and every opportunity available to flirt with him. The one who gave every indication that she would be ready and available to him, all he had to do was give her the come hither sign.

Derek studied her reaction to his suggestion. Even without saying a word he could tell she wasn't happy with his choice. "You have a problem with that?"

"No." She began, only to quickly back pedal. "But you know there is a reason she's part of the C Team." She commented caustically.

He blinked at the unexpected comment. "Wow, meow." Derek laughed and was relieved when Emily did the same.

"It's possible I don't like her." Emily admitted hesitantly.

"I'd have never guessed." Morgan scoffed.

Emily shrugged her shoulder. "You know she wants to sleep with you."

Derek's grin grew at the implication that her annoyance was directly related to that fact. "Yeah, I was pretty clear on that. She doesn't exactly beat around the bush. She's been pretty vocal about what she'd like to do to me." He narrowed his eyes. "That doesn't mean that I'm interested in what she's offering. My suggesting her for the job has only to do with the fact that she meets some of the prerequisites, not that I'm thinking of taking her up on her offer."

Emily studied him for a second before asking bluntly. "Why not?"

Derek paused then went for broke. "I'm holding out for the leggy brunette from the A team." He told her as he gathered up his files. "Let me know if you're interested." He gave her a cocky wink as he exited the room.

Emily was still sitting in the conference room when Garcia stuck her head in an hour later.

"Hey, JJ wants to know if you want to grab some lunch." She looked at the empty room. "Why are you just sitting in here?"

Emily blinked up at her surprised to realize that she hadn't moved in over an hour. "Have you ever really wanted something but were afraid to go for it?"

Penelope frowned. "Me? All the time. But you're fearless, you're not afraid of anything."

"Oh Pen." How she wished that were a true statement. She sighed. Lunch with JJ might be just the thing. JJ probably understood taking risks better than both of them. Emily stood from the table. "Where are we meeting JJ?"

"She's on her way here now." They both heard the commotion coming from the bullpen. "Sounds like she's arrived."

Sure enough as they walked out towards the floor they found their previous co-worker surrounded by the team. The last time JJ visited the office she'd been considerably smaller but as her due date loomed near she looked ready to pop. She was holding court from her old desk as they walked up.

Yeah, JJ knew a thing or two about taking risks.

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Stripper Chapter Two**

**Disclaimer: Not Mine**

**A/N – sorry this is more of the girls than it is Derek/Emily but I needed to get Emily to admit to herself what she wanted and in my world nobody goads her into admission quite as well as JJ. **

Lunch was a fun event as they caught up on the latest news with JJ. Emily realized how much she missed her daily interactions as the vocal blonde blasted her.

"You're nuts." JJ told her as she sat her chopsticks down. "You're going to let some chick from the C team run an A team op?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "JJ, you know you can't goad me into doing this, right?"

"Pfft, yeah I can." JJ argued. "Because we know there is something bigger at stake here than some little chippy coming up and infiltrating the A team."

Emily lowered her gaze. "Really?" She forgot that JJ was always a little more intuitive than they gave her credit for. She might have not started out as a profiler but it wasn't because she didn't have the necessary tools.

"Really." JJ stated. "The way I see it you need to fish or cut bait."

"I hate when you use analogies that I don't get." Penelope grumbled, reaching for her green tea. "Do me a favor and dumb it down for me." She said to JJ.

JJ grinned. "It's like this, Pen. Ever since our Em came back to the BAU she's been looking at Derek a little differently."

"Ah ha! I suspected as much." Garcia confided, as Emily rolled her eyes again.

"Right. But did you know that at my wedding…"

"I told you, nothing happened at your wedding." Emily interrupted, not wanting JJ to go off on that particular tangent again.

JJ shared a look with Garcia. "Only because Emily developed a bad case of I do's but I don't's."

Garcia shook her head. "Come again?"

JJ sighed. "It's like this. There is this guy that you find yourself, for whatever reason – he might have an incredible ass, whatever…"

"We're not going to bring Hotch into this are we?" Emily grumbled, interrupting her friend's dialogue. "We just ate for God's sake."

JJ looked at her smugly. "Well, it's interesting how I said incredible ass and you immediately came up with Aaron."

Penelope laughed at Emily. "I'm not sure why you thought it would be a good thing to interrupt her. It's like you've completely forgotten the ode to his ass that she made up on the evening she told us she and Will had been separated for the better part of a year."

JJ nodded. "I was suffering with a bad case of I do's but I don't's back then. There he was, that big, beautiful man with his incredible ass, but I was just a hot mess of indecision." She looked at Emily pointedly. "I came up with every lame excuse in the world as to why we would never work. Until one day someone told me that he was seriously considering proposing to _Beth_." She couldn't even say the name without a sneer crossing her face.

"I told you that." Emily said dryly. "It was meant to cause a reaction."

JJ frowned. "Well, what I never told you, but I am telling you today, is that you were right."

"No way!" Garcia growled, sharing an astonished look with Emily. "Are you serious, he really was?"

Emily was far less gullible. "You are so full of shit." She proclaimed.

"Swear to God. I ran into him in Olde Town. He was coming out of one of the jeweler's on King Street." She hadn't initially believed that he would be so stupid as to get engaged to the bubbly brunette but when she'd seen the evidence in front of her it was a little hard to dispute.

Emily's mouth dropped. "You never told us."

"That's because I was embarrassed to have been so stupid. I waited so long waffling back and forth that I suddenly found myself at the put up or shut up stage."

"Oh for the love of Pete, can't you just speak English?" Garcia grumbled.

JJ closed her eyes before she sighed, recalling the wave of emotion she had experienced upon seeing him exit that particular store. Her heart had literally plummeted. "He was buying cufflinks for his brother." She announced without any fanfare.

"I knew it! I knew he never planned on marrying her." Emily scoffed.

JJ raised her brow at Emily. "But I didn't know that. All I knew was that I had been in love with him for what felt like forever and I was going to lose any chance I might have had because I was stupid. When I saw him leaving the store carrying what appeared to my eyes to be a ring box based on what I mistakenly thought was good intel," She glanced pointedly at Emily. "I graciously pointed out all of the flaws in his relationship with Beth including a list of reasons why the relationship would fail."

"Yeah sure, it sounds like you were gracious." Garcia snorted.

JJ shook her head. "I was an absolute shrew. And he just stood there _grinning_ down at me while I ranted like a loon then he calmly asked me why I cared."

Garcia sighed, "Aw, and you finally admitted you were in love with him."

Emily laughed as JJ's face went red. "Something tells me she wasn't done being charming yet."

JJ shook her head. "I was so ridiculously jealous that I couldn't think straight." JJ admitted. "I'm honestly surprised that someone didn't film it and upload it to YouTube." She shook her head at Pen. "It's not there, I've looked."

"Oh no, what did you do?" Her friend wanted to know.

"Oh, that is when I brilliantly propositioned him by telling him that if he was going to settle down with Mistake 2.0 that he should really try sleeping with a real woman first."

Emily chuckled. "Wow. You insulted wife number one?"

"Not my finest hour." JJ conceded. "The problem is you tell yourself that you have it all under control then something happens and you snap and you start babbling like a crazy person and then the enormity of the fact that you lost something you desperately wanted catches up to you and your little meltdown goes nuclear."

Tenderhearted Penelope knew exactly what she was saying this time. "Oh Peaches, you cried?"

"I was inconsolable. I started to hyperventilate. He had to force my head between my knees and have me take calming breaths."

"Oh." Penelope reached out and grabbed JJ's hand. "You poor thing. What next? He swept you in his arms, declared his undying love, and the rest is history."

JJ shook her head. "That would have been a much better ending. What really happened was Hotch went to get me a bottle of water and I bolted. Then he gallantly followed me to my house to make sure that I was okay, which I wasn't, and I ended up telling him not to worry about me that I'd be fine, he could run off and propose to his little girlfriend."

"I never had an idea that you could be so ridiculous." Emily said, looking at her friend in a new light.

"Yeah, well fortunately for me Hotch had enough of my crazy and shut me up his favorite way." At their confused looks she chuckled. "He kissed me." JJ's eyes sparkled. "Then he calmly told me that he and Beth had broken up several months before because he had no desire to marry her."

"Ah, maybe _that's_ what I heard." Emily said with a grin, as JJ tried to swat her.

"I got incredibly lucky." JJ declared. "But if I would have just followed my heart and not played games it could have happened a lot sooner."

"Well maybe you weren't ready." Emily said petulantly, having a clue as to where the conversation was heading.

"No my problem was I continually over thought things. There were plenty of times that Aaron indicated to me that Beth was out of the picture and he was looking at me in a different light, but I got wrapped up in so many reasons and excuses why it wouldn't work instead of focusing on why it would." She smiled over at her friend. "And maybe nothing happened at the wedding, but there was a moment. Something that made you realize there could be something between you and Derek."

Emily gave a disgruntled sigh realizing that the talk was now going to be focused on her. "I'm about as crap at relationships as I am with dancing."

"You're only crap at relationships when you're in a relationship with the wrong person." JJ calmly pointed out. "And you can dance around a pole and pull it off. No one is expecting you to be able to do splits and hang upside down. The secret is you connect with one person and seduce them. Don't look at anyone else, make it a private dance."

"So you want me to put myself all out there in front of a bunch of sleazy guys?" Emily whined. "Because nothing says romance like that."

JJ frowned over at her. "I want you to admit that you have feelings for Derek Morgan."

"Of course I have feelings…"

"Romantic feelings." JJ clarified. "Then I want you to do something about them. I also want you to quit whining about why you can't do this because I've seen everything you can do. This is nothing."

"I'm not a dancer." Emily stated.

JJ stared at her. "You know, when you let something so stupid interfere with your work it pisses me off." When Emily's nostrils flared she continued. "There are women dying Emily. You can stop this guy. You're far more qualified than Allison is, and I can guarantee you that if she gets her foot in the door she's going to be doing her damnedest to take advantage of the situation. She's going to be gunning for your job and your man."

"He's not my man." The brunette said stubbornly not ready to admit anything yet.

JJ shrugged. "Well I guess it doesn't matter then." She turned to Garcia and shrugged her shoulder. "Allison and Derek might make a cute couple."

Garcia nodded. "Sure and maybe we could eventually grow to like her."

"It could happen. I guess she'll be spending time with us on all of our group outings." JJ conceded.

"You're not going to make her a god parent are you?" Garcia questioned as Emily snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, that might have been too much, too fast, Pen." JJ laughed.

Emily couldn't contain herself any longer and blurted out. "Fine. He said he didn't want her, he said that he wanted me. Are you happy?"

JJ and Garcia both grinned widely. "Very. So what's it going to be Emily? Are you going to fish or cut bait?"

Rolling her eyes again, Emily laughed. "When do the lessons start?"

"We'll start with dancing tonight." JJ told her as she shared a wink with Pen. "We'll also work on ways that you can let Derek know that you're mutually interested." She paused for a moment. "Look at that Pen; she's not even going to try to deny it. We've already made progress."

"Bite me." Emily mumbled, but she was smiling as she did.

~~CM~~CM~~

A very animated trio returned to the BAU offices with a plan firmly in place. They joined the rest of the team in the conference room to alert them to Emily's decision. With her decision in place they immediately began to strategize.

Hotch had a few leads that he needed Garcia to run down for him and she quickly retreated to her office. Blake and Reid left the building to follow up on two of their initial suspects that they wanted to take another look at. Rossi headed to his office as well, wanting to follow up on another angle.

JJ had hung back, a little nostalgic for the team, but had decided that it was time for her to leave. "I guess I'll see you at home." She said to Hotch. To Emily she grinned. "I'll see you this evening." She looked a little too gleeful.

"Don't remind me." Emily blushed, still not sure how her friend managed to goad her into submission.

"I'll walk you out." Hotch told JJ, coming to stand beside her with his hand at the small of her back.

Morgan waited until the room was clear. "You know Hotch set you up. JJ didn't just accidently show up here for lunch."

Emily shrugged as she witnessed the pair kiss by the elevator. "You're probably right. Although she did say that she would try to get out here this week." The girls tried to get together as often as their schedules allowed.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad she was able to talk you into it. Although, I'm not sure how good of a teacher she's going to be." He eyed the pregnant woman with suspicion.

Emily chuckled. "You're kidding right? Hotch is completely besotted, she's obviously doing something right." She shook her head as she witnessed her friend clearly grab her boss's rear end.

Morgan observed it as well. "Did she just?" They watched as their boss grabbed his wife's hands and kissed them both before pushing the call button for the elevator. Then oblivious to their audience he kissed her lingeringly while they waited for the doors to open. "Damn, looks like Hotch isn't the only one that's head over heels."

Emily smiled softly at the pair then turned to Derek. "It makes a person envious. I want what they have."

Derek swallowed hard trying to read exactly what it was she was telling him. "Everything? Marriage, white picket fence, family?"

Deciding to follow her friends lead and take that leap Emily's smile grew. "Yes." She stood up to head back to the bullpen. "This is me letting you know that I'm interested." She winked at him boldly as she stepped towards the door, her heart pounding in her chest.

"That must have been one hell of a lunch." Derek mumbled.

**Thanks for reading! Thank you for the comments, favorites and/or follows. I love hearing what you all think. **


	3. Chapter 3

**The Stripper Chapter Three**

**Disclaimer: Not Mine**

**A/N – Sorry this has taken me so long to get out, RL and work blew up at the same time. I've got a lot going right now so I can't write or get on FF as frequently as I would like or as much as I used to. **

~~CM~~

Emily pulled into the Hotchner driveway not the least surprised to see Pen's car already in front of the house. She barely put the car in park when JJ and Garcia exited the front door, both headed determinedly in her direction.

"What's going on?" She questioned nervously as they approached.

"Nothing. We're going to the gym." Garcia informed her.

Emily frowned and pointed towards JJ's house. "I thought we were doing this here?" She wasn't quite ready for an audience yet. Sure she was determined to see this through but she wanted an opportunity to prepare herself before she had to dance in front of others.

JJ shrugged her shoulders. "I don't have a horizontal exercise bar."

"You mean stripper pole." Garcia snorted. "I swear, some of the stuff you say."

"So we're going out in public?" A little bubble of anxiety was showing through.

JJ nodded and threaded her arm through Emily's. "Yep, and once you realize that this is all just in your head you can go back to being your awesome self."

"That or I'll embarrass myself horribly." Emily scoffed, allowing herself to be pulled along.

"I've got to say, it's nice to know that some things scare you." Garcia told her as they made their way to her vehicle. "You're usually so fearless."

"I'm usually fully dressed with a gun on my hip, not half naked in stilettos. Easy to be fearless with a glock strapped to your side." Emily replied caustically. "Did any of the leads that Hotch had you looking into pan out?"

Garcia shook her head as she gave Emily an update. "We've got one club owner that has a history of sleeping with his girls and knocking them around, no evidence that it's gone any further but you know Hotch, anything hinky needs a second, third and possibly fourth look. Right now we don't have anything tying him to the case but we're keeping an eye on him.

Then there is a bouncer from another place whose background is a little sketchy – not that there is anything drawing our attention other than the fact that there's not a lot there. He's most likely using a fake name. We'll keep digging to find out what he's hiding."

"Do we have anyone watching him?" Emily questioned.

"I'm sure as we move closer to your performance we'll have eyes on both of them." She said confidently. "Reid and Blake were able to rule out the two that they were checking on. Both their alibi's checked out. I didn't get any updates from Rossi so I'm not sure where he is with whatever it was he was looking into." She finished, making a mental note to herself to circle back with Rossi.

Emily frowned. "I just don't get how this guy is slipping in and out of these places with no one getting suspicious." She had studied all of the reports on the women that had been killed. They were all strikingly similar. Their unsub definitely had a type. But he was obviously unsuspecting enough to fly under the radar. There had to be something they were missing.

"Someone saw something they just don't realize it was anything of value yet. You guys will catch him." JJ told her confidently.

"Let's hope it happens before I have to get up in front of a room full of weirdo's." Emily mumbled as Garcia pulled into a well-lit parking lot.

Emily wasn't sure what she'd been expecting when the girls told her they were going to a gym but it wasn't this. The space was bright and clean and there were poles everywhere. Apparently pole dancing was the latest exercise craze. Hopefully their unsub wasn't aware of the fact or he would start hunting somewhere new.

"Jeanine doesn't have a class tonight." JJ announced. "I called her earlier and asked if she would work with you."

Emily spun around. "What? I thought you were helping me."

"I am." JJ assured her. "I'm making sure you get instructions from the best there is."

"Look at you!" All three women turned around at the raspy voice. "Looks like you've been doing a different kind of pole dance." The woman gave a bawdy laugh as she rubbed her hand over JJ's extended stomach before zeroing in on Emily. "This must be my newest protégé." She gave Emily a wink.

"Yes ma'am." Emily nodded as the older woman approached her. She was surprised, when JJ mentioned that there would be someone else working with her, teaching her, she immediately expected some young nubile thing. Jeanine was probably in her sixties with bleached blonde hair, weathered skin and a voice from smoking at least a pack of cigarettes a day. But she was tall and toned. And she was currently circling Emily like prey.

"You've got the legs for dancing." The older woman stated when her perusal was complete.

Emily smiled. "Unfortunately I lack rhythm and grace." She shook her head. "I can't dance."

"Sure you can." Jeanine scoffed. "Do you think these two could do anything when they first came to me?" Emily looked at JJ and Garcia who were both shaking their heads. "Alright, let's get you changed and then we can get down to business."

"Changed?" Emily looked down at the sweatpants and sneakers she'd donned before leaving the house.

Jeanine chuckled. "You gotta look the part sweetheart." She grabbed Emily by the arm and took her towards the dressing rooms. "The first thing you need to do is just remind yourself that this is just play time, a means to an end." She gave Emily a pointed look. "I was twenty eight when my husband walked out on me and my three kids. I tried to find a job but apparently I didn't have any skills at least that is what I was told when I kept getting rejected. But I did have assets, if you catch my meaning."

Emily laughed, discovering that she kind of liked Jeanine. At least she thought she did until she thrust a pair of mile high heels at her and a pair of skimpy shorts at her. "Don't you think I should learn the basics before you put me in these?"

"Those are the basics, girly. Your feet will hurt like a bitch but your legs and ass are going to look great." She treated Emily to another wink. "Make it snappy, we've got a lot of work to do."

Thirty minutes later Emily was pretty sure that her legs were going to fall off. This made the obstacle course in basic training seem like a picnic.

"Good, that was good." Jeanine praised. "You need to remember to stay fluid, elongate those arms." She looked at Emily with a frown. "You took ballet, didn't you?"

Emily glanced up in surprise. "When I was like six." She hadn't lasted long because her two best friends were boys and she'd have much rather played baseball, much to her mother's chagrin, than practice ballet.

Jeanine circled Emily as she called out instructions. "I knew it. You've got excellent lines, kiddo. Now we've just got to bring the seductress out in you."

Emily smiled, even though her feet, legs, and ass were killing her, the praise felt good. She giggled as JJ and Garcia grinned goofily at her and gave her a thumbs up. "Do you still dance Jeanine?"

The older woman grinned. "You bet I do. But these days I have a much smaller audience." She gave a little cackle. "But he always appreciates the show. What about you, Sweetheart? You have a special someone?"

Looking directly at her two friends she smiled. "I'm working on it."

"Men like women with long legs." The instructor told her.

"Please," JJ scoffed, "All some men require is a pulse."

"Heck, we've even come across some that liked them without a pulse." Garcia mumbled under her breath.

The brassy blonde looked back at the pair that were observing and shook her head before turning back to Emily. "Tell me about your beau while you work on that twirl."

"He's not really mine." Emily stated as she continued to practice moving around the pole. She might not be as horrible at this as she thought.

"Don't slouch." Jeanine tapped her hand against Emily's spine. "Well why the heck not?" She wondered going back to the former subject.

Emily sighed. "It's kind of complicated."

"Okay, now I want you to bend your knees a little." Emily watched as the woman executed another move. "Is he interested?"

Following her guidance she imitated the move. "Yeah, he says he is." She smiled as she pictured his face earlier in the day when she told him that the interest was mutual.

"Then what's the problem?"

It was a valid question, one she had been questioning for longer than she cared to admit. "We work together. What happens if we get together and it doesn't work out? Then there will be bad feelings and one of us will need to find a new job."

"Keep your chin up. Eye contact is important. That way they can tell themselves you're dancing for them." She watched Emily's movements critically. "You're a natural. Are you adults?"

Emily grinned at the way the woman flipped subjects. "Yes."

"Then I imagine you could figure something out. Sounds to me like you're just looking for excuses. Tighten your rear and lift those shoulders, they aren't coming to watch Quasimodo."

~~CM~~CM~~

Emily groaned as she lowered herself into a hot bath. JJ told her it would help her aching muscles along with the two Advil she had ready when they left the gym. She sighed as she sunk back in the tub and let the water soothe her body. She wasn't going to admit that JJ was right it would be just another thing that she would crow about. She was already smug over the fact that Emily had done well dancing, just like she'd known.

Emily snorted. She herself definitely hadn't been so sure. She lifted a leg and let the soapy suds slide down. Her legs _were_ pretty good looking she thought with confidence. She still had some work to do on her dance, some of her movements came off as choppy, but she was sure that by the end of the week they would have that corrected. She gave a little chuckle. Wouldn't the Ambassador be tickled to see her daughter as a stripper?

That thought prompted another. She wondered what Derek would think when he saw her. If she were honest with herself she would admit that the idea excited her a bit. The fact that they'd both admitted a mutual attraction had butterflies setting up residence in her stomach. This was more than just a mere flirtation. This had the possibility of being much more.

She wasn't lying when she told him that she envied what JJ and Hotch had. She surprised him almost as much as she surprised herself when she admitted that she wanted a relationship like that for herself. A man that she could share both her life and, if she were lucky, a child.

"You should have seen his face when I told him that Sergio." Emily said to her current companion. He responded with his usual disinterested flick of his tail.

After soaking and thinking for a good twenty minutes she drug herself out of the tub, slathered some lotion on and slipped into her pajamas. She was beat. She had just about decided to call it a night rather than turn on the TV when the doorbell rang. She looked over at her clock. "Who could that be at quarter to ten?" Her eyes widened as she looked through the peep hole. There, bold as could be, a grinning Derek Morgan stood on her doormat holding a tube of bengay.

"It's a little late for a social call." She stated as she opened the door.

He just continued grinning. "I saw the video, figured you might need some TLC."

Emily frowned. "Video?"

"I don't know why you thought you couldn't dance." He looked her over, his eyes clearly expressing his interest. "What I saw was pretty darn convincing."

"What video?" She watched as he pulled his phone from the holder on his hip then hit a few buttons before holding it out to her. She winced as an image of her dancing around a pole appeared.

Derek watched her closely. "The beginnings a little rough but you caught on quick."

"I'm going to kill, Garcia." She handed him back his phone and looked pointed at the medicated lotion in his hand. "I suppose she's the one that suggested that?"

"Actually JJ is the one that suggested you might find a massage helpful." He chuckled. "You've got thoughtful friends."

Emily nodded. "Sure, thoughtful, that was exactly what I was thinking."

The grin intensified. "So, are you going to invite me in Princess?"

Emily blinked realizing that he was still standing at the threshold to her apartment. She opened the door wide. "Won't you come in?" She invited.

Derek whistled as he walked into the apartment. It was a nice reflection of her. Bold, clean lines, and bright colors, somehow it was both warm and classy at the same time. "Nice place."

"Thank you." She led him in to her family room silently wishing she would have put on something sexier than her comfy flannel pajamas. "Can I offer you something to drink?"

"I'm good." He stopped when she paused in front of a plush couch. "I really just stopped by to make sure that you were okay."

"Why wouldn't I be?" She asked puzzled, dropping tiredly onto the sofa and gesturing for him to join her.

Derek sighed as he sat. "We kind of teamed up on you today trying to get you to take this assignment. Both JJ and Garcia pointed out to me that what you're doing isn't exactly easy." He didn't like the thought that she was coerced to do the assignment.

Emily smiled and rethought her plans to kill her best friends. She let out a soft sigh and admitted. "No, but it's not as hard as I thought it would be either. It's still a little weird. I'm not sure I'm comfortable showing as much skin as apparently you need to show."

"Let me tell you a little secret. You look as hot rocking a pair of flannel pj's as you do those little shorts you were squeezed into earlier."

The flattery brought a lite blush to her cheeks. "I hardly doubt that."

Her eyes flared as he slid closer. He watched as she swallowed nervously as he bent to lift her legs to his lap. "Tell me what hurts?"

"I…What?" She moaned as he took her left foot into his hands and with his thumb applied pressure to the bottom of her foot. "Oh my god, that feels good."

His chuckle sounded intimate as he told her. "Oh, Princess, this is literally just the tip of the iceberg."

Emily's eyes narrowed. "Are you implying that I'm frosty?"

The chuckle turned into a full on laugh. "Hell no, I was just giving you fair warning. I have magic hands." He winked over at her. "But I'll let you be the judge of that."

**Thanks for reading! Thanks for all the reviews, favorites and follows. I appreciate the support and interest!**


	4. Chapter 4

**The Stripper Chapter Four**

**Disclaimer: Not Mine**

**A/N – Sorry this has taken me so long to get out. Life has gotten really busy. I'm hoping it starts to slow in June. **

Emily walked into the dimly lit interior and bit back a groan. She wasn't prepared for this. She had to admit dancing with JJ and Pen all week long had been fun. Much more fun than she expected. She was also exploring a side of her sexuality that she hadn't before and had completely turned the tables on Derek Morgan. But this, she thought as she glanced around the bar, was giving her the willies.

The bar wasn't necessarily seedy, but it wasn't a place that you go with a date. Unless you were maybe paying said date by the hour. Her eyes bugged out of her head as Blake passed her wearing a tiny pair of shorts and a tee shirt that looked like it belonged on a toddler. She couldn't help gawking in stunned surprise.

"I was impressed myself."

Emily turned to find the owner of that comment bent over what looked like a beer that he was currently nursing.

"I never expected gams like that under those slacks she wears." Rossi said caustically.

"You're late." Emily came to a complete standstill as she took in Morgan in all his pimping glory. He looked like he belonged in a seedy bar. His collar was open and he was sporting a strand of gold chains. She would have laughed had his expression been less severe.

The story they were circulating was that he had come in from his sister club in Vegas to find out what the hell happened to his establishment in DC. He brought with him his most enticing, crowd drawing dancer. Emily hooted aloud when she saw the fliers that were posted outside. The airbrush was very good to her. She didn't say anything as his hand wrapped around her upper arm and he pulled her back to the dressing room.

Once they were out of the main area he turned to her and studied her closely. His eyes were no longer cold and impersonal. "You okay? You ready for this?" All the homework and planning in the world didn't always prepare you for the real deal.

"I'm fine." It helped that she talked to JJ on the drive over. Hotch had forbidden his wife to attend the show, not wanting to put her in any danger. JJ hadn't been happy to have been excluded. Emily was quick to point out that this wasn't a theatrical performance they were putting on but JJ wasn't appeased. She wouldn't be surprised if JJ talked Garcia in to taping it for her. Heck she probably had a live feed.

"Prentiss?" Morgan hissed, trying to capture her attention. "You need to be alert, Princess. Not daydreaming."

She frowned as she looked up at him. She wasn't woolgathering. "I was just wishing JJ were here." She admitted. "Her competitive nature always seems to have mine stepping up to answer to her." She gave a wistful smile.

Morgan just shook his head well aware of how the woman played off one another. "Sure, because JJ giving birth in a booty bar is the one thing this op is missing. I'm sure she's already complained to you about Hotch telling her no." He handed Emily her outfit to get her back on track. "You've got about half an hour to get ready."

Emily's jaw dropped as she held what was supposed to cover her in the palm of her hand. "This better be a fucking joke." She growled.

Morgan, who had been busily scanning the clientele as they started to trail in swung back around at her tone. "What's the problem?"

She glared at him angrily. "I can do this in shorts, heck, even in the outfit you have Blake poured in to, but no one said anything about dancing in pasties and floss!"

"It's not that…" He'd been about to say 'bad' when the bottoms hit him in the face. "Princess, this is what all the girls are wearing." He told her cajolingly, his hand making lazy circles on her arm.

"I can't wear that." She bemoaned. Derek hadn't even seen her in her bra and panties yet. She didn't want this to be his first peek.

"Is there a problem?" Emily turned to see that Hotch was now fulfilling the role of the bouncer alongside the club's regular bouncer who they thoroughly vetted. The man might not be the biggest, meatiest guy in the place but his face gave a 'don't fuck with me' glare that she was sure would intimidate just about anyone.

Anyone except Emily. "Yeah, who the hell is responsible for my choice of attire?" She snapped glad to have someone to take her frustration out on.

"What's wrong with it?" Hotch wondered, then whistled lowly when she held up the two scraps of material. "Interesting story." He chuckled slightly. "My wife said to tell you you'd thank her later. I'm going to guess this might have something to do with it."

Emily went red with anger. "I've never punched a pregnant woman but there's a first time for everything." She growled. Trust JJ to pull a stunt like this.

Hotch frowned at her, clearly not appreciating her comment. "Under the circumstances I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

"Your wife is a menace." Emily bit out.

Hotch sighed. "I'm sure there's a little bit of truth in that statement. We're starting to fill up. I have Garcia running facial recognition on everyone that comes in through the door." He paused, knowing what he was asking of her. "I need you to come out, do just one dance and then you're going to put on a robe and circulate. Get into your role, Prentiss. This is just a job. Draw out our unsub and we'll be done with it."

Emily nodded and gave the situation the gravity it deserved. "You're right. I know that. I'm sorry." She shook her head as she balled up her costume. Her nostrils flared slightly as she rolled her shoulders. "You do realize I'm going to get your wife back for this?"

Hotch gave her a soft smile. "Don't be too hard on her. She's having a hard time over the fact that she can't be down here for you. She doesn't like sitting at home knowing what may possibly go on. I had to have Jess come over and stay with her." He hoped that would defuse a little of her anger.

"And she's already described in great detail what will happen to us if something goes amiss." Derek told her with a quirky smile. "I'm rather fond of my balls and have every intention of keeping them, so don't worry, you will not come to any harm."

Hotch squeezed her forearm as he slightly chuckled. "I'm going back out front. Remember, you are not to go anywhere alone."

~~CM~~CM~~

She was very subdued as she moved into the dressing room and slipped out of her clothes. "I have a bad feeling about this." Her nerves were kicking up. But that wasn't a bad thing it would only serve to make her more cautious during the evening.

"Don't jinx it." Derek warned, his voice taking on a slight edge. He had been thinking the same thing. It was like they were chasing a freaking ghost. They had lots of eyes on this case and nothing was popping. They had to have overlooked something.

Emily was apparently thinking the same thing. "I just, I feel like we must have missed something." Something other than several yards of material required to cover her body. Her eyes bulged as she looked in the mirror.

Morgan turned around to reassure her and stopped short. She was right, there wasn't much to the costume and it left very little to the imagination. "Holy shit." He stared in undisguised lust. His own imagination hadn't done her justice. She was amazing.

Emily ran her hands down her thighs nervously. "I know; there's not exactly a lot covered."

"Your legs are incredible." He slowly perused them from top to bottom and back. They were long, smooth and silky and he was itching to touch them. A massage was the furthest thing from his mind. He was imaging them wrapped around him.

"Wow, maybe we can have this conversation when I'm not playing bait for a psycho." Emily grumbled, able to appreciate the admiration she saw reflected in his eyes, but not wanting to deal with it at the moment.

"More likely a sexual sadist." Morgan replied off handedly, still focused on her legs.

"Really? Does that matter?" She mocked, smacking him in the chest.

"No, you're right this probably isn't the right time." He made his way past her hips and her toned stomach then felt his mouth water at the sight of her prominent breasts. "Please, please promise me that there will be a time to discuss this later."

His response was exactly what she needed to qualm her butterflies. "Derek." She laughed softly at the realization that their flirtation had come to an end. It was about to get real.

"Yeah?" He finally met her eyes.

"Next time we get together, let's not bother talking." They were so beyond it. She wasn't even sure why she hesitated in the first place. There was no question what her comment meant.

His eyes dilated. "Why you gotta say stuff like that to me when we're working? I was over at your house three times this week and you were very clear with your boundaries."

"I know." She smiled. "I appreciate that you were very respectful of my boundaries. But I think," She whispered softly, "It's time to test them. Actually I think it's time to forget boundaries all together." She inched a little closer.

"Really woman? Did you not just tell me now wasn't the time?" He groaned in real frustration.

"You should know it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind." She leaned forward and lightly nipped at his mouth. "Right now I'm telling you I want you to pay very close attention to my ass tonight."

"Yeah, well, if you've been paying attention yourself I think you would know that I've been paying close attention to your ass for a long while." He huffed.

The smile blossomed on her face. "Good answer. I'm going to need you to keep it up."

"Oh don't you worry about me being able to keep it up…"

Emily chuckled, happy in the light moment. "I'm not talking about _that_ you pervert. I want you to make sure that you pay close attention to my ass tonight and keep it safe. "

Derek was solemn when he replied. "I will, I promise I will keep you safe." Their eyes held.

They both knew that promises like that were easier to make than they were to keep and heaven forbid anything went wrong she didn't want him to blame himself if something unforeseeable did. "I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. I just want to know that you have my back."

He wasn't eager to be let off the hook for her safety. He took that job very seriously. "Nothing will happen to you." He assured her.

Emily smiled softly, her hand wrapping around his wrist. "Hey, we both know that there are no guarantees and we've seen assignments go to hell in the blink of an eye."

"That's not going to happen." Morgan replied adamantly, not willing to concede any to chance happening that would end with her being hurt or worse.

"Well I certainly hope not." She said somberly. "But I need you to trust in my ability just the same. Trust that if for some weird fluke something does go sideways I'm going to be doing whatever is necessary to get back to you."

"I think we both know that I never doubt your ability." Morgan stated sincerely.

She gave a slight chuckle. "Alright then." She rolled her shoulders. "Let's get this over with. I have big plans for the evening."

"Oh yeah?" Derek muttered as his hand slid around her waist.

"Yeah. I have some moves that I can't wait to try out." She placed another soft kiss against his mouth as she heard her intro music start. "I think that's my cue."

"Okay." Derek stepped back from her. "Pace yourself out there, I have some moves that I want to try out myself."

She rolled her eyes as she moved right towards the platform stairs. Her nerves were under control as she stepped onto the stage and as the curtain rose she concentrated on Derek. She told herself that there weren't a hundred gross men, and her coworkers, watching her. He was the only one that mattered and tonight they were going to take their relationship to the next level.

~~CM~~CM~~

"Nothing?" Hotch stood by the door scowling effectively at all the patrons as they moved into the building. He heard the music that indicated that Emily would be on the stage momentarily and waited for Garcia to reply.

"No. Nothing so far, sir. But we've still got a lot of faces that are scanning, not to mention the folks that keep walking in the door." She let out a low whistle. "Holy smoke. Does Em know that JJ is responsible for her attire?"

"Yes." Hotch replied gruffly. "Is my wife still at home?" He listened to the quick click of a keyboard.

"Her phone is." Garcia answered truthfully.

"Somehow that doesn't appease or reassure me." He muttered.

"She promised she would stay put." Garcia smiled as she watched her friend execute a move that she would have claimed was impossible only days before. "Golly is she good. Derek is probably stiff as…"

"Garcia!"

"Oh, right, sorry sir!"

Hotch hung his head as he heard the chuckles from both Dave and Blake over the wire.

"She is pretty good." Rossi mumbled. "Your wife's tutor works wonders." He cracked.

"Let's not forget why we're here." Hotch growled, now away from the door and scanning the crowd, looking for anyone that was following his agent a little too closely.

Emily's routine was almost at completion when the fight broke out. She noticed the disturbance and watched as it looked like a riot erupted in the club. That couldn't be a coincidence. She attempted to find Derek in the mix but he had been caught up in the fracas. She moved to step off the stage when she was grabbed from behind. She turned with a fist raised then let it fall when she saw who it was.

"Don't get mixed up in that." One of the other dancers told her as she led her back to the dressing room. "You don't want to end up on the wrong end of a fist."

The woman's tone was a little too gleeful causing Emily's radar to go off but it was too late for her to act. It was too late for anything as the sweet smelling rag was placed over her mouth and nose by an unseen accomplice and her world went black.

**Thanks for reading! A huge thank you to all of you that have commented and are following the story, I hope you're still reading. I really appreciate the interest and support. **


	5. Chapter 5

**The Stripper Chapter Five**

**Disclaimer: Not mine…**

**A/N – I am soooo very sorry this has taken me so long to get back to. Life got a little busy lately. Hopefully we've slowed to the point where I can get back to my stories. I had the first part of this done but not the second and I labored over wanting it just right. No Emily, but the race is on to save her. BTW - no beta either so let me know if I have any errors.**

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this." The slight blonde turned from the driver's seat to glare at the woman she considered her honorary sister in law.

"What? This was _your_ idea." The pregnant blonde growled as she made another attempt to get comfortable in the seat of Jessica's car. No matter how she moved it just wasn't happening.

Feeling a bit chagrinned to have the fact pointed out that it was indeed her idea, Jessica sighed heavily as she kept her eyes focused on the backdoor of the club her former brother in law and his team were currently holed up in. The idea of going on a stake out seemed exciting initially. The reality was it wasn't. She was bored and wished they would have just stayed home and played _Sorry!_ with the boys like they had requested. The constant movement beside her had her turning to JJ and asking pointedly, "Are you okay?"

JJ winced as she placed a hand on her back. "Yeah, I'm fine but this has got to be the most uncomfortable car I've ever sat in. I wish we could have brought the Suburban."

The idea made Jess grin. "Sure because that would have been completely inconspicuous. Big, black vehicle that just screams law enforcement. Yeah, no one would have given it a second glance." She snorted, smiling at JJ before turning back to her surveillance and voicing her dissatisfaction. "You know, somehow I thought this would be more exciting."

"Most of the cases are more depressing and sad than they are exciting." JJ admitted, still fiddling with the seat adjustment.

"I just don't understand how, if you can pinpoint that this is a white male, forty five years old, why can't you figure out who it is?" She questioned, "Or how he's doing it?" The puzzle was still intriguing.

JJ sighed. "We work with the evidence available to us, and we don't know _exactly_. We base our theories on the evidence we have to work with. A lot of the time we have incredible accuracy..."

Jess frowned and interrupted, "So you don't think this guy has an accomplice?" It was that theory that had her and JJ leaving the comfort of home for the alley behind the club. She should have never voiced her opinion but she liked the fact that JJ, unlike Aaron, was willing to listen to her amateur sleuthing.

"I think there was probably something that made them discount the idea that he's working with a partner. Usually it has to do with the fact that there is nothing to indicate that there is more than one unsub involved. If I'm recalling correctly they haven't recovered any DNA or prints from any of the crime scenes."

"So all that means is he's obviously got a woman cleaning up behind him." Jess scoffed, theorizing that most of the men she knew needed cleaning up after. She wish JJ hadn't shared the knowledge with her that they knew for certain that their unsub was a man. All of the victims had sexual trauma, and they knew it wasn't from a foreign object.

"I wish Aaron would have left the files at home." JJ lamented once again. It was the lack of files to peruse that led them to the brilliant idea of doing a stakeout. She didn't know what avenues they had looked at. Typically they were all pretty open with her about the cases they were on but her husband and friends had gone remarkably quiet about this particular one. She fumed silently over the slight. She was pregnant, not invalid.

Jess squinted when the back of the club opened then bolted up in her seat. "JJ?"

"He did it on purpose too." She grumbled, still stuck on the fact that Hotch wasn't sharing the case particulars.

Jess couldn't believe she was seeing what she was seeing. "Uh, JJ? I think…"

"What? It's not like I snoop through his files." She gave a self-deprecating chuckle before admitting. "Okay, fine, I do. But in my defense…"

"Jennifer!" Jess's exasperation came clearly through.

JJ finally looked up at her. "What? I do have a clearance."

"JJ someone just exited the back door with something slung over his shoulder. Something that looks a lot like a body." She shared needlessly. Excitement tinged with disbelief was evident in her voice.

JJ immediately turned to the door and watched as a slight woman closed the door and wiped it clean. She and Jess shared a look. "Son of a bitch." She reached for her purse, searching for her phone as she kept a close eye on what was happening. She couldn't help the grin on her face, despite the circumstances, as Jess continued to take snap shots from her iPhone. "I don't have my phone." She growled, as she'd completed a full search of her purse only to come up empty. She shook her head as the person they were watching deposited his load in the trunk of his car. He then kissed his accomplice and gave her a pat on the butt, sending her back into the club. "I don't have my phone!" JJ wailed as the events quickly began to get away from the hapless, unprepared pair.

"What do we do? What do we do?" Jess babbled as the club door closed and the car with what was very likely Emily in the trunk roared to life.

"Quick, give me your phone!" JJ demanded. "And whatever you do, do not lose that car."

~~CM~~CM

Derek swiveled his head around trying to locate Emily, he'd been on his way to the stage when he was besieged by the eruption of the audience swelling up and closing in. He could hear as Rossi continued to swear as he attempted to regain order. It would have been amusing if Derek didn't have a vice around his heart. He could also hear Hotch shouting out orders above the din. He took comfort in that. He located Blake and spotted both Garcia and Reid. Emily was the only one that he couldn't seem to find. He breathed a sigh of relief when the DC police began pouring into the building.

"Where's Prentiss?" Hotch asked, pushing through the crowd, making his way towards Derek. The local LEOs were fast on the scene thanks to the quick actions of Garcia and they were rapidly taking control of the mob situation. There were a few rowdy patrons that wanted to resist but they were far and few. Order was being restored and they were free to do what they needed to.

Derek pushed his way towards the back. "She must have gone to the dressing room."

"She knows better than that." Hotch growled, coming up behind him, scanning the room.

Derek went to the private dressing area quickly, not bothering to knock he barged in only to find it vacant. He turned and strode out, baffled. "She's not here." The area was open enough to see there was no place she could have been hiding even had she wanted to. He could hear the blood rushing through his veins and he was having a hard time keeping it together as thoughts of what her absence meant came rushing in.

Hotch didn't say a word as he moved to the back door. Testing it he turned back to Derek. "It's still secure."

"We didn't miss her out front." Derek said tersely, not ready to give into the panic eating at him.

Hotch nodded and made his way back to the bar and stage quickly coming to Rossi's side. "Lock it down."

Rossi's head snapped back towards him as the ramifications of what he wasn't saying were plainly clear. He didn't question Hotch as he made his way to the front of the club making sure that the bouncer and the head of the local police effort both knew what was going down. He noticed that Hotch moved with purpose towards Garcia.

"I need video."

She, too, understood what he was saying. Her eyes went wide and she swallowed hard before she began hitting the keystrokes that would give Hotch what it was that he requested.

Hotch watched the replay. Later they would be able to delve into the feedback from the audience angle but right now they were focused on the stage. Derek stood stoically beside him. He flinched Emily was grabbed from behind by a slim arm.

"That's a woman's arm." Reid commented needlessly. They all watched as she initially drew back with a fist, then smiled and followed the arm into the back.

"I'm going to need more than an arm." Hotch stated, turning back to Garcia. "Can you isolate and blow it up?"

"Pfff, kid's stuff." Their tech scoffed, rapidly hitting the keys to meet his request.

Derek wasn't waiting he was actively scanning the crowd trying to spot someone. His eyes finally landed on the person he was looking for and he charged at her. "Where the hell is she?"

The young woman called herself Summer but Derek knew that her actual name was Ann McKenzie. She hadn't raised any flags when they ran a background check. She didn't give off any weird vibes either. She was completely non-descript and totally forgettable. "Son of a bitch." He belatedly recalled one of the other club owners making a comment about a mousy dancer that wasn't very good and who hadn't stuck around for very long. They hadn't made a connection. Instinct was telling him that he was looking at her and she hadn't left in fear as they assumed. Unless it was the fear of discovery that prompted her departure.

Brown eyes blinked up nervously at him. "Wh-what are you talking about?"

Morgan was in the mood for games. "Do not fuck with me." He placed a hand on each of her shoulders to steady her and keep her from fleeing. "We have everything on tape I know that it was you that pulled Emily into the back."

Her eyes diluted and she huffed out a breath, probably in relief. "Sure so she wouldn't get a bottle or chair flung at her. You saw the way this place went crazy."

The excuse was plausible but her eyes registered a touch of glee, a little shine of smugness lit them. She clearly knew something. "Then where is she?" Derek questioned.

The woman glanced around as if looking for Emily. "I thought she came out here." She shrugged. "You're the boss, you probably know her better than anyone." There was a wealth of innuendo behind the comment.

"I'm a little more than the boss." Derek said tersely.

The glint grew a little smugger. "You don't say."

A muscle twitched on the side of his cheek. "My name is Special Agent Derek Morgan." He bit out. "I am on assignment here to uncover what has been happening with several of the local dancers. I'm assuming that you are aware of what has been going on. Several of your kind are winding up dead."

Ann's eyes went wide with surprise as she nodded slightly. "Yeah, sure, it's horrible…"

He closed in on her, crowding close using his body to intimidate her. "Do not bullshit me. Tell me where he's taken her."

"He?" It was working as she barely squeaked the question out.

Derek leaned down so he was eye level with the slight woman. "Your accomplice or maybe he's your boss." He hissed.

"MORGAN!"

He barely registered Hotch's voice over the rush of blood in his ears. He was seconds away from wrapping his hand around the neck of the woman in front of him. But the urgency in his boss's voice told him whatever he had was important. He turned to the officer beside him. "She is to remain in custody for questioning."

Ann had been relieved the other man had called to him and demanded his attention. She was plotting on how to get out of the building when his command drew her up short. "You can't do that."

Morgan ignored her and spoke to the officer. "Cuff her and make sure she doesn't talk to anyone."

"You can't hold me based on your paranoia alone. I have rights you know." She yelled as she tried to break free of the officer's hold.

He gave her a scorching glare. "Stun her if you have to." He turned and headed towards Hotch. One look at his face had him faltering. "Hotch?" But he wasn't looking at Derek he was focused on whoever it was on the phone.

"Can you trace the cell, Garcia?" Hotch ran an aggravated hand down his face. "What about getting some feed from the local traffic lights?"

"I don't understand. Do we have a lead?" Morgan turned to Rossi wanting to find out what was going on. Before the other man could answer Hotch was on the move.

"NO! You are not to engage. Do you understand me?!" His roar was deafening as he moved quickly through the club. "Get me a location, Garcia!" Morgan and Rossi were already in pursuit. Reid and Blake were quick to follow.

Bewildered and frustrated Morgan balked before climbing in the vehicle. "Can someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?" He wasn't happy that they didn't seem to be focusing on the fact that Emily was not in the club and he had been pulled off of his one viable lead.

Rossi responded by shoving him hard. "You better move it, pal or you'll be left behind."

He vaulted into the backseat, just barely, as Hotch gunned the engine and peeled out of the lot. "What the hell are we doing?" He growled, wanting an explanation.

"We have eyewitnesses that saw what they are fairly certain was a body being loaded into a vehicle from behind the club. They were also able to identify the individual that helped him and are currently following the vehicle." Rossi provided, as they raced through town.

"Summer?" Morgan questioned.

"Yep." Rossi confirmed.

"I want roadblocks set up." Hotch barked, weaving his way through the treacherous city traffic. "I need some guidance here, Garcia. Where am I going? I'll need backup. We're going to need some LEO's. This has the very real possibility of going to shit fast." He let out a moan. "No. You are not to leave your vehicle. I swear to God if you do I'll have you arrested for obstruction of justice."

Derek frowned. It was obvious that Hotch was talking to whoever the eyewitness was and he was not happy with the situation. It crossed his mind once more that Hotch looked wrecked then everything suddenly clicked. Morgan leaned forward in his seat, his own panic slightly subsiding. Emily wasn't lost to him. She was being looked after by someone that loved her almost as much as he did. Now all they had to do was stop the bastard. "Please tell me she has her gun."

**Thanks for reading! I hope all of you that have been so lovely to review and follow are still with me. I have not abandoned this story (like I would leave Emily in peril!). **


	6. Chapter 6

**The Stripper – Chapter Six**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**A/N – I am so very sorry this has taken me so long. I keep waiting for life to slow down just a bit but it really hasn't. I promise I have not abandoned any of my stories.**

She was disoriented when she came to. Blinking her eyes Emily tried to adjust to the pitch blackness. Then she attempted to stretch. Confusion marred her features seconds before the panic set in. "Oh God." She remembered Summer's smiling face as she pulled her from the stage. Emily hadn't even questioned why the other woman had been back there. She barely had time to process anything before the rag was placed over her nose and mouth. Her assailant had been strong; she'd scarcely had an opportunity to begin to struggle before she'd gone limp. A sob bubbled up from her deep within her chest as despair overwhelmed her. Unlike his previous victims Emily had seen what the man that currently held her captive was capable of.

Not wanting to dwell on that fact she pictured Derek's smiling face. She knew that he would work relentlessly to pull her from the grasp of evil that she was currently caught in. It had been right in front of all of them and they managed to miss it completely, they had considered and summarily rejected the idea of an accomplice. She wasn't sure that her disappearance would make them revisit it, and even if they did, she wasn't sure they would make the connection in time. It was entirely possible that they would be solving her murder, not abduction.

She sighed heavily and thought of all of her missed opportunities. She would never get the chance to tell Derek that she loved him, and there locked in the back of a trunk she could finally admit to herself that she did. It had never occurred to her that she wouldn't have the opportunity to share it with him. She also wouldn't get to tell him that working with him was one of the main reasons she returned to the BAU. That even when he drove her exasperatingly crazy he still managed to make her smile. Thinking it made her smile now. Then she thought of the fact that she'd never have the chance to get tangled in his arms and let him fulfill the fantasies that his eyes promised every time theirs met. God, she had been so stupid. Why had she hesitated? She did something that she rarely allowed herself to do and gave into her tears.

She wasn't sure how long she laid there giving in to despondency until she was literally jarred into action. A frown crossed her face as she finally realized that she was in a moving car. Rubbing her temples in an attempt to clear her still foggy brain she removed her hands from her forehead and focused on them. She wasn't restrained! She tested her legs. Nope! They, too, were mobile. She could move! Granted her space was limited, but she wasn't restrained. She gave a slight laugh as she wiped at the moisture on her face, silently chastising herself for her moment of weakness. After all, she knew what she was facing with him but he didn't have a clue what _he_ was up against. Emily Prentiss was a fighter and she wasn't about to go down lightly!

With that thought in mind her hands began to roam through the trunk searching for a weapon. It would be too much to hope to connect with a tire iron but she'd take what she could get. Unfortunately she discovered all too quickly that she was the only weapon in the trunk. Refusing to get discouraged by that revelation she felt her way towards the edge of the trunk and began to rip at the carpeted covering. "Shit!" She winced as her finger made sharp contact with the newly exposed metal but it was worth it when her hand came into contact with what she'd been hunting for. She gave a sharp pull on the wires she'd exposed. She continued to tug until she felt the resistance give, satisfied she crawled the length of the space to begin the process all over.

~~CM~~CM~~

Derek thought he was going to go crazy. He wasn't sure how far behind them they were but he knew that every second at this point counted. Too much could happen that they didn't anticipate, especially given who their abductor was. Thanks to JJ they had a license plate number and from that they were able to get the registration information.

The vehicle belonged to a decorated retired police detective from Florida. His former lieutenant had been able to give them a lot of insight into exactly who they were dealing with. Nate Jones' had been a respected law enforcement officer, seemingly above reproach, until his wife mysteriously disappeared without a trace. Nate claimed his wife; a beautiful, leggy brunette, just packed up one night and took off. He assumed that she had grown tired of his often difficult job and the long hours it demanded. Her family had disputed that allegation and accused him of making her disappear. They complained frequently and loudly to anyone that would listen. It was during that period when a lot of people, his superiors included, started to look a little deeper at their star officer. When Jones' realized that fact he quickly tendered his resignation and abruptly left town, supposedly heartbroken by his wife's desertion. But by that time most of the population didn't buy his act and was of the opinion that he killed his pretty dancer wife. They just couldn't prove it.

That had been three years ago. Armed with a name and a SSN to track Garcia was able to find even more damaging information. She was able to follow his trek from southern Florida up the east coast. Using bank statements she was able to spot locations where other pretty brunettes had mysteriously gone missing. Not all of them were dancers but all of them were definitely dead. There had been enough differences to keep them from being connected until he became fixated on strip clubs. The man was definitely devolving.

Rossi's argument with the Virginia State Police captured Morgan's attention. "What do you mean you need probable cause?" The older man growled. "He abducted an undercover agent. We have an eye witness report. How do you think you got the damn license? I don't care if you can't authorize it. Let me talk to someone who can. I want my agent brought back safe. We've seen what this guy does to his victims."

The words caused the knot, already formed in his stomach, to tighten. She was in that trunk blind. She didn't have anything, no weapon, no wire, hell, hardly any clothes. He scrubbed a hand over his face. They weren't even sure if she was lucid. Hotch's voice went up a notch. "You're sure? That a girl."

"What?" Derek demanded, picking up on the excitement in his leader's voice.

"The taillights have been disabled." The pride in Hotch's voice was evident.

"There is your just cause." Rossi immediately stated. "Pull his ass over for faulty equipment."

Hotch nodded. "How do we play this?" He asked out loud. "Do we send one car and make it a seemingly innocent traffic stop or do we go full force?" They all understood what was at stake; an error in judgment could make their already bad situation worse.

"It's not unusual for a cop to have back up on a traffic call." Reid commented.

"We have to assume he's armed." Blake added. "He's become lazy and careless, has he been building up to this? Is his endgame going to be a shootout?"

Rossi frowned. "He may spook the second he sees a cop."

"So what do we do?" Hotch asked again. "Absolutely not." It was clear JJ had an idea that did not appeal to him. "That is far too dangerous."

"Put her on speaker." Rossi demanded.

Frowning at the other man, Hotch complied.

"All we would have to do is clip him." JJ was heard stating. "We can time it so we know that you are directly behind us and we just go over into his lane a little bit."

"He's a former police officer he's been trained in defensive driving." Hotch responded wryly.

"Throw him off his game." JJ growled. "Send two patrol cars by him prior. Shake him up."

"We don't know that that will rattle him."

"You want something that is going to throw him off his guard so you don't end up with a battle on your hands." JJ said with exasperation. "His adrenaline will already be elevated, having the cars come up will set him at edge then, when they go around him he'll feel a little cocky. He already thinks he's smarter than the police. We'll cut in from of him and clip him." At this point there was a little reluctance from Jess heard in the background.

"So what you're suggesting is I give him two more hostages." Hotch commented tightly.

Derek couldn't help but admire her plan. "His hero complex is going to kick in. Especially when he sees the heavily pregnant woman in the car, if we can get him distracted..."

"That's MY heavily pregnant woman." Hotch growled. "There has got to be a better plan. That is shear lunacy. Jess is not a stunt driver. Depending on the rate of speed the car could go into a spin and we could make this situation worse than it already is."

"Aaron, we're on 66, if we do it after the patrol cars go we'll be traveling at a low enough rate of speed to make the impact less jarring."

Hotch's sighed heavily. "JJ you're not a member of the BAU, Jess is a civilian. I can't sanction or authorize this plan. I won't. It's far too dangerous."

"Fine I'll console myself over your high morals when a stray bullet from either the police or a suspect that is set on death by cop kills either you or my best friend."

"Jennifer." He knew that he was fighting a losing battle.

"I'm sure the kids and I will be fine." She sniffled for effect.

He was a sucker for tears and she knew it. "It is too dangerous." He reiterated.

"I'll never regret marrying you. I love you."

In light of the situation the snickers could be heard throughout the vehicle. "I don't like the idea, JJ. You're not going to goad me into it." He sighed again heavily. "How far behind are we Garcia?"

"You're making excellent time, sir. At this rate you'll be caught up to them in five minutes, possibly less."

"Do we have state troopers in place?" Hotch asked Rossi.

"They have six deployed standing by at the ready." Rossi got a status from his state police liaison.

"Send two, let's see how our unsub responds." He pressed the gas pedal hard, desperate to make up the distance. "I want to know immediately if he is giving flight."

The car was silent as they waited for the report back from the local police. They could hear the sirens approach as JJ's line was still open.

"They can't determine what the suspect is doing. There are no lights on the vehicle." Rossi stated. "Although it appears that the he is slowing and letting them pass." He exchanged a look with Hotch.

"Send the other units." Hotch ordered. He barely had time to give the command when the distinct sound of impact was heard. "JJ!"

"Shit. Ow." JJ's voice was heard over the impact. "We're okay."

The vehicle with the team was silent when they heard Jess's frantic. "Oh my God. JJ, he's coming. He's out of his car. Oh God, he looks pissed."

"It's okay, Jess. Calm down." JJ's voice was soft and controlled.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" An angry voice could be heard yelling. "You came all the way over in my lane. Where the hell did you learn to drive?"

"Oh GOD, I think she's coming!" JJ's voice now carried loud and clear over the speaker.

"Shit, are you alright?" The man's tone changed abruptly.

"I'm sorry, my sister in law… Pregnant…" Jess was barely coherent through her tears.

"Jess, it's okay. I shouldn't have grabbed at you. Ooooh! Oh God, I don't want to have my baby on 66." JJ wailed.

"Don't you worry, sweetheart, fortunately for you I have some experience with just this type of emergency." The unsub's voice was oddly tranquil and reassuring. He was obviously in his element, his earlier prize for the moment completely forgotten.

Hotch's hands tightened on the steering wheel and Rossi shook his head. "She is just playing, right?" Reid asked, voicing a question none of them wanted to consider.

"Up ahead." Morgan saw the silhouette of the vehicles from the glow of the street lamps. "We need to have the LEOs approach first. There's a good chance he might recognize any of us. We don't want to jeopardize the chance JJ bought us."

"If I slow down can you jump out?" Hotch questioned Morgan. If his reckless wife was going to stick her neck out they were damn sure going to make sure they got Emily out of that trunk.

"Kids play." Derek scoffed, searching for a tool to pop the trunk. "Now all we need is to make sure JJ keeps up the distraction."

"Oh no."

"What, what's wrong, JJ? I knew this was a bad…"

JJ cut her off quickly. "It'll be okay, Jess. It's just water."

"You might want to crawl in the back and lie down, ma'am." The unsub advised. "Let me help you."

Rossi watched as the muscle on the side of Hotch's face pulsed. "She's probably improvising."

"Or she's giving birth attended by a psychopath." They were closing in fast, they watched as two state police cars came off of the entrance ramp.

"They are sending an ambulance just in case." Rossi stated reassuringly.

"That doesn't make me feel any better." He glanced back at Morgan. "Ready?"

"I can't have the baby without Aaron." JJ was overheard wailing. "He missed the first one. Maybe this is just AGH…." Her scream split the air just as Hotch hit the brakes and Morgan jumped from the vehicle.

Emily sat poised for attack. She wasn't sure what happened. It felt like they'd been forced off of the road but it had been several minutes and she was still ensconced in the trunk of the car. She'd been elated to hear the sound of the screaming sirens followed by dismay when they faded. Then the jolt of the car had snapped her out of her melancholy and she braced herself for the moment the trunk was opened. Only they'd been stopped for a while and nothing. Maybe that was part of his plan, maybe he thought if he made her wait long enough she wouldn't be prepared, maybe he thought…

"Emily?"

Oh God, it was working, she was already delusional.

"Emily can you hear me?"

"Derek?" Her voice boomed in the small space.

"Be careful, ease away from the back of the car."

She hurried to comply then wondered what was taking him so long. Again she could hear the sound of sirens approaching and wondered where her assailant was then she stopped thinking altogether as an arm reached for her.

He barely lifted the trunk not wanting to draw any undue attention. "Easy, I've got you."

"Took you long enough." She muttered before launching herself into his arms.

Derek gave a slight chuckled and held her tightly for a moment. "Oh sweetheart, as much as I like the idea that you were waiting for me to save you this rescue mission isn't quite over yet." He punched a number on his phone and spoke into the device. "I've got her, she's fine, alert. Have a LEO pull up alongside for the handoff. Then I will get into position."

Emily frowned up at him as his words penetrated. "He's not in custody?" They sat crouched behind the vehicle.

Derek shook his head sharply. "He thinks he's delivering baby Hotchner."

"Give me your ankle piece." Emily demanded holding out her hand for the weapon just as a state police car pulled up.

Derek shook his head. "You were sedated. You need to be cleared before you can handle a weapon. You know the protocol."

"I know that my friend is in danger." She growled angrily.

Derek sighed and waved the police car on. "It's easy to see why you two hit it off so well. Neither of you listen."

Emily's eyes narrowed. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that there is enough manpower here to bring down an army and you think that your presence is required in the situation, even though you were drugged and driven around in the back of a trunk for over twenty miles before being force from the road. But sure, let me give you a gun."

"Are you suggesting that I couldn't handle a gun?"

Derek rolled his eyes. "I'm telling you that you don't need to be involved, we've got this covered."

"That's my friend."

"She's my friend too. She's Hotch's wife. I kind of think he'll know what to do best in this situation."

"I wasn't questioning that." The flaring of her nostrils told him she didn't like his implication otherwise.

Any attempt to placate her was gone; all of his training went to the wayside. He wasn't concerned about JJ he trusted Hotch had the situation well in hand. All he cared about at the moment was the woman in front of him. "What the hell were you doing leaving the stage? You were told not to leave my sight."

Emily bristled at his tone and the abrupt change of subject. "I didn't think…"

"You're God damn right you didn't think. We have protocol for a reason. Regardless of what happens during the operation you don't break from the plan. You didn't follow protocol."

"Oh, wow, I'm sorry, it's totally all my fault I was drugged and thrown in the back of a trunk." She hissed.

"If you would have followed protocol…"

"You've got to be kidding me! Where the hell was the guard on the door? You want to talk to me about following protocol? Seems to me there were a few details we all overlooked in this case." Emily huffed. "You're mad at me because I trusted someone that we had looked at and summarily dismissed? Really Derek?"

The hurt in her eyes was his undoing. "I didn't know if we would get to you in time." His voice broke over the admission.

Emily's eyes misted and she allowed herself to admit. "Yeah, I was a little worried myself."

The words were barely out of her mouth when he was drawing her to him. "Just let me hold you for a minute." They both took comfort in the fact that she was securely in his arms.

The sound of a throat clearing interrupted them. "Um, hey, Morgan. Prentiss. Hotch is waiting for a status. He wants Prentiss looked at and cleared by a doctor."

The pair looked up guiltily. "Where is Hotch?"

"While you two were squabbling we secured the unsub and discovered that JJ wasn't completely improvising." Rossi stood grinning down at them.

Derek got to his feet and moved to help Emily as Rossi handed her an FBI windbreaker for cover.

"What do you mean?" Emily asked as she glanced around taking in the manpower and noticing that neither JJ nor Hotch were anywhere in sight.

"Well," Rossi exclaimed with a grin, draping an arm over both Morgan and Emily, "Looks like we'll have a new member to the BAU family by the morning. What do you say we get those hands checked out and then we'll all go see how JJ is progressing?"

"I'm fine, Dave." Emily protested.

"Protocol requires any time an agent is drugged they need to have a complete blood screening." Reid proclaimed with a slight twitch of his lips.

"Yep, that is the protocol." Dave agreed, not bothering to hide the grin on his face.

"How long were you standing there listening to our conversation?" Derek asked tightly.

Blake smiled as she reached the group. "Morgan, your line is wide open. Hotch wanted me to thank you for your confidence in his abilities but to tell you your job was to secure Emily in the awaiting police car then to back him and the rest of us up. He said to expect to answer to him at his earliest convenience on your breach of protocol."

"Ha. Ha." Derek quickly pulled the device from his ear and enjoyed a moment of celebration with his team. They had caught the bad guy and everyone was alright. He watched as Emily hugged both Blake and Reid, sighing as he once again realized how vitally important she was to him. He watched as Blake wrapped an arm around her waist and walked with her over to the waiting ambulance to get checked out. He should have been the one to insist but he stepped back from her once the others joined them. He knew the comment from Blake had been a joke, but he also knew there was a kernel of truth to it. He was going to have to do something. He'd never be able to function properly if he was worried about Emily being in danger all the time.

He looked up to find Rossi watching him intently. "Don't overthink, pal, it will all work out."

"I didn't back my team up." He found himself stunned by the fact.

"We didn't need you, Derek." Rossi assured him.

"This time. What if it happens again?" The thought terrified him.

Rossi let out a deep sigh. Not sure how to answer the question. "Derek, we're all invested in one another, we're all concerned about the others wellbeing…" He trailed off as he studied the younger man.

Derek shook his head as he finished watching the EMT check Emily's vitals then cleanse and bandage her hands. "I'm in love with her."

The older man smiled at the admission. "So what are you going to do about that?"

The question startled him. "I don't have a damn clue."

Emily smiled as the EMT gave her a clean bill of health. She thought that Derek would have made his way over to her but he hadn't. She stood and surveyed the scene. The car she'd been ensconced in was being placed on a flatbed bound for the lab. The unsub had already been removed from the scene. She spotted Reid and Blake but no Derek or Rossi. She frowned.

"You all clear?" Blake asked as she approached.

"Yeah, where is everyone?" She continued to study the scene.

"Rossi gave Jess a lift back to the house. He thought she might need a little assistance, especially when Will finds out what happened tonight and why he was called to sit with the kids."

"And Derek?" Emily prompted. She watched as Reid and Blake exchanged glances.

"He caught a ride from one of the DC cars back to the club. He wanted to close that scene down himself."

"Oh." She hoped her disappointment and confusion wasn't noticeable. "Okay. Have we heard anything on JJ?"

"Hotch called." Reid answered. "He said it was going to be a long night, they've admitted her but her contractions have slowed down considerably. Her blood pressure was slightly elevated so they want to monitor her. They aren't sure whether or not the baby is actually coming tonight. He said to send everyone home and he would let us know if anything changed."

Blake wrapped an arm around her. "It's kind of anti-climactic, right?"

He just left her. Emily allowed herself to be shuttled over to the waiting Suburban. "Did he say anything?"

Blake winced. "I think he's dealing with a little delayed shock."

"Oh right, because he was chloroformed and thrown in the back of a trunk. No, that was me!" Emily growled.

Blake chuckled. "Emily, sometimes when men are confused about what to do they often do the wrong thing."

Reid nodded in agreement.

"I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to tell me."

Blake shrugged as she climbed behind the wheel. "He's trying to sort out how he feels."

"He knows how he feels." Reid amended. "He's trying to figure out what to do about it."

"I think I'm having a delayed reaction because you both sound like the teacher on the Peanuts cartoons. What are you trying so hard _not_ to say?"

"You might as well just tell her." Reid told Blake.

"Why do I have to tell her? You tell her, you've worked with her longer."

"Exactly which is why I know how she'll react."

"Reid." Emily twisted around in the front seat and glared at him. "Tell me – right now – what is going on?"

"Morgan kind of had an epiphany." At her unrelenting glare he continued. "About you."

Emily scowled. "And that sent him into shock?"

"I don't think Morgan's ever really been in love before." Reid volunteered. "Lust, sure, he used to have a different woman every other week but it's been awhile since he…"

"Reid." Blake's caution came too late, Emily sat stunned.

"We. I. I mean…" She blinked over at Blake unsure what to say. Her eyes filled with tears. "Are you sure?"

Blake smiled over at her. "I'm sure as soon as he pulls his head out of his ass he'll tell you himself."

**Thanks for reading. (I hope you're still reading!) As always, I sincerely appreciate any feedback and favorites/follows. I truly have not given up my favorite fanfictiondom I just haven't had much time to devote to it. **


End file.
